There’s a part of Paul James that understands why he needs to validate the rushing success he’s had this season against a team like Arkansas this Saturday. Fresno State really cared only about one side of the football — and it wasn’t defense.

Norfolk State and Eastern Michigan were over-matched opponents.

So even as Rutgers’ third-year sophomore has emerged as the unlikely national leader in rushing yardage through a 2-1 start, questions remain, with the biggest one being this: Can he excel against a quality opponent?

"I kind of see it that way," James said. "It’s an SEC team, so I feel as though people look at it as a higher level of play. So it’s definitely a test, because the way everyone else looks at it is SEC teams are elite level teams. When you play them it’s a test to see if you can do the same things against them."

James’ improbable success story — he’s a former walk-on who had five carries a year ago — has him first nationally with 493 yards. He’s averaging a staggering 8.1 yards per carry and already has six rushing touchdowns.

And already, there’s a reason for Rutgers to put his name in a sentence with Ray Rice, who had four runs of 50-plus yards in his three years with the Scarlet Knights. James has that many in three games.

Yet there’s also a part of James that says how he performs against the 3-0 Razorbacks this weekend at High Point Solutions Stadium is something that’s more important to outsiders than it is to him.

"With us playing Arkansas, people have been trying to put the idea in my head that I have to have a good game against them," the 6-0, 210-pounder said. "But I feel like every game I have to prove myself. Not a lot of people thought I could do what I’ve done against any of the teams we’ve played. So for me, I still have that mindset that I have to prove myself every game, no matter who we’re playing. It really isn’t about the opponent."

The pressure on James to produce will be greater this game than it has been all season because of the uncertainty over how quarterback Gary Nova will perform — assuming he is able to start and play — one week after suffering a concussion.

That kind of pressure is more real to James than anything outsiders think of him and his success so far.

"I definitely feel there’s more pressure because of the quarterback situation," he said. "There’s more pressure because there’s going to be more put on the running game. I need to get yards and run the ball hard for that reason – not to prove anything to anyone else."

The biggest thing for James going forward is staying healthy after his first two years at Rutgers — and his senior year at tiny Glassboro High School — were disrupted by a variety of injuries. He has had 61 carries so far, and coach Kyle Flood isn’t averse to continuing to feed a hot running back, twice last year giving both Jawan Jamison and Savon Huggins a school record-tying 41 carries in games.

"I feel good. A little sore here and there after games, but just the normal stuff," James said.

"If they want to give the ball more I think I’m ready for it. In the games where I’ve had 20 carries I felt like I had another 20 left in me. My body is holding up great."